1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for handling tape-automated-bonded (TAB) integrated circuits and more particularly for loading Tab carriers into a bottom-loading stacking magazine.
2. Prior Art
An inexpensive technique for packaging and automated handling of integrated circuit dies, or chips, is to bond a die to a section of thin, flexible plastic tape material. This packaging technique is called tape-automated bonding, or TAB packaging. Each section of a tape has a conductor pattern formed on it. For testing and handling, each section of tape is connected to a TAB carrier, which is, typically, a thin relatively stiff frame attached to the peripheral edges of a segment of tape.
For storage and handling the carriers are loaded into stacking magazines, in which the TAB carriers are held in vertical stacks. Because the it is intended that the TAB carriers be handled by automated handling devices, there is a need for apparatus and methods for bottom-loading the stacking magazines.